


The Chemistry of Magic

by hiJaq



Category: Legacies (TV 2018), Legacies - Fandom
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-09
Updated: 2018-12-09
Packaged: 2019-09-14 19:27:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,158
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16918971
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hiJaq/pseuds/hiJaq
Summary: One-shot of the beginning of Josie and Penelope's relationship.





	The Chemistry of Magic

**Author's Note:**

> Feedback and edits are great. Just worked up a quick one-shot to get the feel of the characterization.

Josie's pencil tapped gently on its own in front of her as she stared up anxiously at the ticking clock. _Tap tap tap_ in time with the tick of the seconds hand. She quickly applied some lip gloss as the clock struck 7:59 a.m.

"Jo, stop doing that," Lizzie huffed impatiently toward the pencil, interrupting her own story about what she was going to wear to the movies later that night.

"Sorry," Josie said quickly. The pencil ceased its tapping and rested quietly in front of her as her eyes lowered to her hands.

The bell announcing the start of class rang in a sharp, long tone. Lockers slammed shut in the hallway outside. Josie's eyes darted over to the door of the classroom in time to see Penelope Park walk in. It was a slow motion, music playing in the background, hair blowing gently in the breeze moment. Penelope's dark hair was down and curled at the ends, she was wearing a crop top and tight pants. Josie's eyes darted lower, out of her control, distracted by Penelope's bare stomach, her heart thumping uncomfortably in her chest. Penelope's eyes landed suddenly on Josie's, staring back, and Josie felt her cheeks burn. With some effort, she was able to tear her eyes away and toward the front of the room, staring at the blank chalk board instead.

Josie took careful notes as her chemistry of magic teacher lectured about how to produce a barrier spell.

"The spell can only be lifted by the witch who produced it, or," their teacher gestured in Josie and Lizzie's direction, "by another witch with the power to siphon the magic."

They paired off to practice. Josie's hand glowed red against the desk. She read off the incantation and a puff of smoke billowed up between them, causing her and Lizzie to break down into a fit of coughs.

"Impedimentum ad finem," Josie heard Penelope's clear and confident voice and the smoke was cleared instantly.

"Thanks," Josie said, her eyes unable to leave Penelope's.

"Your problem is you're siphoning magic from a desk. A barrier spell is powerful. You're also mispronouncing the last syllable."

Lizzie chimed in, "Not sure what your sudden interest in our schooling is, but we can take it from here." It was sarcastic and unfriendly.

Penelope wholly ignored Lizzie, choosing instead to hold out her hand to Josie. "Here, siphon from me."

Josie hesitated before reaching her hand out. She prayed that no one noticed the slight tremble in it as she clasped her hand with Penelope’s. Her hand glowed bright red and she recited the incantation, changing the last syllable just slightly to mirror the way Penelope said it. A shimmering purple force field erected around Lizzie.

Lizzie banged her hand against it. "Hey! Not funny, Josie. Get me out of here."

Penelope laughed as Josie flipped through their text book and her notes looking for the incantation to remove the barrier. "It looks like since we both erected the barrier, we'll both need to remove it."

"I'll remove the barrier with you," Penelope said, "But I want something in exchange."

Lizzie banged on the barrier again, "Give her what she wants, Josie. I don't want to die in here."

Josie rolled her eyes at her sister's dramatics. "What do you want, Penelope?"

"I want to take you to the movies tonight. In town."

Josie almost choked on her response before she said, "Y-yeah, I would be totally down for that. For sure. Actually, we are already going to the movies-"

"Josie!" Lizzie interrupted, a light bulb going off. "Siphon it. Just siphon the barrier up, duh!"

Josie put a hand against the barrier without even looking in Lizzie's direction, siphoning it up as she spoke, "B-but we could maybe-"

Penelope swooped in to save her. "If you've got movie plans tonight, why don't we study at my room tomorrow night instead?"

"Study?! Seriously, since when do you study on a Saturday night?" Lizzie was finally free from the barrier, hands on her hips, completely confused by the exchange going on in front of her.

Josie nudged her with an elbow to try to get her to shut up. "I'd love to study with you, on a Saturday night, or any night, really." She smiled hesitantly up through her lashes.

"It's a date." Penelope said, before twirling around and heading back to her desk.

//

Three fights with Lizzie later and Josie was finally heading over to Penelope's room. Her head was spinning with thoughts.

" _You are absolutely not going on a study date or a date-date with PENELOPE PARK! She's up to something. What could she possibly want with you, Josie?"_

_"Wow. Maybe she thinks I'm pretty. Maybe she genuinely likes me. Maybe she wants to kiss me."_

_"Wait, do you want to kiss her?" Lizzie sat on the bed. "I'm going to need to process this. My twin sister wants to kiss Penelope Park..."_

_"Process all you want, and in the meantime, I'm borrowing your pink sweater."_

_"_ _Take it....take it....." Lizzie waved her off, trailing off in a daze of her own thoughts._

 

Josie knocked on the door to Penelope's room.

Penelope opened it just enough to stick an arm out and pull Josie and her chemistry of magic book in. "Finally, you're here. I want to try out a new spell with you."

Josie looked down at the floor, her eyes landing on a ring of flower peddles. "What kind of spell?"

"Love charm." Penelope said it matter of fact as she moved candles to the floor.

"W-what? I thought we were going to practice some offensive spells?" Josie said, suddenly a thousand times more nervous than she thought was possible.

"Love is the most offensive thing there is." Penelope said, chuckling. "But seriously, it's powerful and can definitely be used against an opponent if strong enough."

Josie sat down Indian style across from Penelope. Penelope handed her a folded piece of paper. It had etchings of hearts and skulls. It also contained a written incantation.

"Phesmatos is lucas adoray," Josie read in her mind.

"Make sure when we say this you get the A right in Adoray. Mispronounce it and we'll have a real problem."

"What? What kind of problem?"

"Just say it right, okay?"

"Okay." Josie sucked in a breath. "Wait, what if this spell makes one of us do something stupid?"

Penelope quirked an eyebrow, "Stupid, like what?" She watched Josie squirm under her question before deciding to be merciful.

"Anything that happens in this room, stays in this room. If, for instance, you kiss me, or I kiss you, that wouldn't be so bad, would it?" Penelope asked, watching Josie's face very carefully.

"No, I mean, it'd just be the magic, so I wouldn't be offended or anything." Josie said, trying to remain as poised as possible when on the inside an alarm like a siren was going off.

"Cool. Let's do this." Penelope reached both of her hands out. "Ready?"

"Ready," Josie said as she clasped their hands together.

//

Josie laid out on her side on Penelope's bed, openly admiring her. "You're so, so, so pretty. I think you're the prettiest girl I've ever seen."

"I love you. I've loved you since we were kids. Since before I knew what love meant, back when love was just something I felt." Penelope held her hand over Josie's heart. "I can feel your heartbeat."

Josie reached out and did the same, "I can feel yours too."

They gazed into each other's eyes for a wordless minute.

"When does the spell wear off?" Josie asked, wanting to know how much longer she would get.

"Ten minutes ago." Penelope dead-panned, sitting up, pushing her hair behind her shoulders as she leaned back against the headboard.

"B-but you-"

"I wanted to make sure you liked me."

"You could have asked!" Josie said, mortified.

"Yeah, but this was a lot more fun. So you think, I'm like, the prettiest girl ever, huh?"

Josie smashed her face into a pillow. "Yes. Okay. Fine. I do. But I think you might be the biggest jerk too." She muffled through the pillow.

Penelope gently pulled the pillow out of Josie's hands. "Hey, I'm sorry. I just wanted to be sure."

"Be sure of what?" Josie questioned, her big eyes and pouty lips more pronounced than ever.

"This," Penelope said, before leaning in to kiss her.

//

A few nights later Josie found herself following Penelope up to the turret. The stairs spired up and up, and Josie thought they might not ever end. She thought she would happily spend her life spiraling up stairs with no end in sight if it was Penelope Park she was doing it with.

"I thought only seniors came up here." Josie said, out of breath, as she followed Penelope into a private corner. They slid to the cold stone floor. There was a window right above them, the soft glow of moonlight shining in through it. The sky was black velvet, a heavy sprinkle of stars twinkling against it.

"Yeah, well I come up here too." Penelope winked and scooted closer to Josie. She pulled out a white, tightly wrapped joint. "You want?"

Josie would have jumped out of the window at that point, if that was what Penelope wanted to do. "Yeah, sure," Josie said, trying to sound nonchalant.

"Just so you know, I've mixed in some herbs. They usually make people...feel good." Penelope said as Josie swallowed. She'd heard about Penelope's weed. It had some sort of sex herbs in it.

Penelope smiled at her, and without breaking eye contact, lit the joint and took a long hit. She exhaled after a few seconds, blowing the smoke towards Josie's face. Josie took the joint, held it against her lips, breathed in deeply and then immediately began coughing out of control. Penelope laughed, grabbing the joint from her hand, setting it down, and pulling out a bottle of water out of her bag.

"Here." She handed the water to Josie. "Your first time?"

"No." Josie said, her eyes filled with tears from coughing. Penelope stared at her, and Josie buckled immediately, "Ok, yes."

Penelope smiled an indulgent and soft smile. "I thought so. Come here." She pulled Josie in closer and tucked her under her arm. "You may not feel anything at all, just tell me if you do."

"I kind of feel like I'm under water," Josie said, stretching her hand out in front of her and staring at it. "Do you think sea creatures can see the stars?" She said suddenly, turning to Penelope.

"Ah, then you are feeling it. Cool. And, yeah, I hope they can."

"Yeah, this feels nice." Josie said, nestling into Penelope's side even further. "Cozy."

They sat in silence for a moment before Penelope reached for Josie's hand. "Is this okay?"

Josie swallowed, "Yeah, anything's okay." Electricity sparked every nerve ending to life, her heart pounded wildly in her chest.

Penelope considered Josie for a moment before lifting her hand and running a finger from Josie's wrist, slowly up her arm. Josie sat frozen as Penelope stared down at her face to gage her reaction. Penelope stopped the trail at her shoulder, and then with several fingers, brushed Josie's hair back.

Josie was aware of every cell in her body, electricity turning to hot fire, unable to breathe without her full concentration on the task. Then, without warning, suddenly Penelope's hand disappeared, and her body moved away, and all Josie felt was cold air rushing in through the window, and the cold stone of the turret.

"Good shit, huh?" Penelope was reclined back against the wall now, smirking, the whites of her eyes a pinkish color.

Josie smiled nervously. "Yeah, it is." She was looking longingly at Penelope, unable to hide her open desire at this point, her body tilting heavily in the other girl's direction. "Your eyes...they're pink." Josie observed, giggling, very close to Penelope's face.

Penelope laughed. "So are yours, JoJo."

Josie laughed too, overcome by a fit of giggles. "I wonder what Lizzie would say if she knew what I was doing."

"Who cares what Lizzie would say?" Penelope snapped back, straightening up, no longer amused.

"Why don't you like her?" Josie questioned earnestly, the sudden change in mood sobering her up slightly.

"I like you," Penelope retorted back playfully, her eyes quickly scanning Josie in a distinctly unfriendly manner. "Isn't that enough?"

Josie felt her heart swell inside her chest. She bit her bottom lip, charmed completely by Penelope Park. A smile burst across her face as she responded, "Yes, that's enough."

Josie liked having something separate from Lizzie for once. Something that was all hers. A friend - or maybe more.

"Penelope?"

"Yeah?"

"Kiss me."

Penelope turned to Josie, taking her face in her hands "God, I thought you'd never ask," Penelope replied, her mouth crashing into Josie's.


End file.
